Manufacture of containers or capsules



Oct. 2, 1928.

R. H. CAMPBELL muumc'runs OF BONTAINERS on CAPSULE Filed July 13, 1928INVENToR Patented Oct. 2, 1928.

UNITED STATES ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL, OF UPPER EDMONTON, ENGLAND.

MANUFACTURE OF CONTAINERS OB GAISULES.

Application filed July 13, 1928, Serial No. 292,498, and in GreatBritain July 11, 1927.

This invention relates to the manufacture of metal containers, orcapsules, for liquids, or gases, under pressure the said containers, orcapsules, being more especially of the 6 kind which are provided with aninternally screw-threaded neck and an internal shoul der, which latterconstitutes a seating for a removable closing device which consists in,or comprises, a plug of soft, or plastic,

10 metal, a hermetical closure being effected by subjecting the saidplug ,to pressure whereby the metal is caused to spread, flow or besquirted outwards and to enter and be firmly held in the said internallyscrew-threaded neck, the said closing device being removed from thecontainer, or capsule, after use by unscrewing it from the saidinternally screwthreaded neck so that the said container, or capsule,can be re-used if desired.

Hitherto, in a containeryor capsule, of the aforesaid kind, thescrew-threaded neck has been formed b making the wall of the said neckc'onsi erably thicker than that of the wall of the body-part of the saidcontainer, or capsule, for example, of a thickness such that theinternal diameter of the said neck is equal to, or approximately equalto, the internal diameter of the aperture in the shoulder to be formedtherein through 80 which the liquid, or gas, under pressure is to pass,and then enlarging the internal diameter of the bore of the said neck toa reuired depth inwards so as to form the said s oulder which is toconstitute the seating for the removable closing device inserted in thepart of enlarged internal diameter at the proper time. The said enlargedbore of the neck is screw-threaded so that after the container, orcapsule, has been used, the removable closin device can be unscrewedtherefrom and t e said container, or capsule, be re-used.

In another type of container, or capsule, the said container, orcapsule, has been made of thin metal which is of the same, orapproximately the same, thickness throughout. This type of container, orcapsule, does not however, permit of the closing device being secured tothe neck of the container, or capsule, in such manner that itcan beremoved therefrom except by cutting the upper portion of the said neckaway, and consequently the said container, or ca sule, is not soadaptable for re-use as the fore-mentioned type of container, orcapsule. Moreover, the 65 aperture in the neck of the second mentionedtype of the container, or capsule, closed by the closing device is ofrelatively large diameter and consequently the area of the surface ofthe said closing device exposed to the pressure of the liquid, or gasWithin the said container, or capsule, is larger than is desirable.

This invention has for its object to produce containers, or capsules ofthe thin metal type which has hitherto been incapable of repeatedre-use,'with a neck provided with aninternal shoulder constituting aseating for a removable closing device, whereby the said containers, orcapsules, can be repeatedly re-used and which can be more easily,quickly -and economically manufactured than hitherto.

According to this invention the container, or capsule, is manufacturedfrom thin material as hitherto used and during the process of making thebody-part of the container, or capsule, which process may be ashitherto) the wall of the neck portion thereof is thickened sufiicientlyto enable an annular groove to be turned on its exterior in a planeapproximating};l that in which the shoulder, constituting t e seatingfor the closing device, is to be formed in the exterior of the saidneck, the said groove weakening the S said neck at this part for apurpose herein; after referred to.

The neck of the so far formed container, or capsule, may then be held ina die the interior surface of which is sha ed to the requiredoutward'shape, or con guration and diameter of the neck of the finishedcontainer, or capsule. Pressure is applied, by any suitable means, atthe outer end of the said neck which causes the said neck to collapse,orturn inwardly, in the form of an annular pleat, at the weakened .partthereof formed by the before-mentioned groove, which inwardly turnedpleated part constitutes the shoulder upon which the closing device isto be seated.

In the accompanying drawing Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate, insections, the up r portion of a container, or capsule, in din ent sta esof manufacture, in accordance with this'invention.

In Figure 1 the body-part of the container, or capsule, 1 is made ofthin metal in the known manner, but the neck portion 2 thereof isthickened, during the process of forming the said body-part,sufficiently to enable an annular groove 3 (see Figure 2) to be turnedon its exterior in a plane approximating that in which a shoulderconstituting the seating for the closing device, is to be formed in theinterior of the said neck, the said groove weakening the said neck atthis part. The neck 2 of the so far formed container or capsule, is thenheld in a die, indicated at 4, in dot-and-dash lines Figure 2, theinterior surface of which is shaped to the required outward shape, orconfiguration, and diameter of the neck 2 of the finished container, orcapsule, 1. Pressure is then applied by any suitable means, such forexample, as by the plunger 5 indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Figure2, at the outer end of the neck 52 which causes the said neck tocollapse, or turn inwardly, in

the form of an annular pleat 6, as shewn in Figure 3, at the aforesaidweakened part 3, which inwardly turned pleated part constitutes theshoulder upon which the closing device is to be seated. The portion 7 ofthe interior of the neck 2 of the container, or capsule, extendingoutward of the shoulder (5 may be subsequently screw-threzuled, as shownin Figure 4, by any known or suitable means, to receive a removableclosing device such for example as shewn in specification No. 253,788.

By forming the shoulder 6 in the manner duced and consequently theliability of leakage is minimized.

What I claim is 1. In the manufacture of containers or capsules of thekind referred to from thin metal, the steps of making the body part andat the same time forming a neck part of thickened wall section,weakening the neck part by forming an annular groove on the exterior ofthe neck, and applying pressure at the outer end of the neck therebycausing it to collapse and turn inwardly at the weakened part thusforming an internal shoulder adapted to act as a seat for a closingpart.

2. In the nianutacture'of containers or capsules of the kind referred tofrom thin metal, the steps of making the body part and at the same timeforming a neck part of thickened wall section, weakening the neck partby forming an annular groove on the exterior of the neck, holding theweakened neck in a die, and applying pressure at the outer end of theneck thereby causing it to collapse and turn inwardly at the weakenedpart thus forming an internal shoulder adapted to act as a seat for aclosing part, substantially as described.

3. In the manufacture of a container or capsule of the class describedfrom a thin walled substantially cylindrical body, the steps of forminga neck by reducing the diameter of a portion of the body and increasingthe wall thickness of said portion by displacement of the metal incidentto the reduction of diameter, forming a groove in the exterior of saidneck portion to weaken the same, and compressing the neck portionaxially to cause the weakened portion thereof to collapse inwardlyforming an annular shoulder adapted to serve as a seat for a closingdevice.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,686, 405.

Granted October 2, 1928, to

ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Page 1, Line 84, for the word "exterior" read "interior"; and that thesaid Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that thesame may conform to the record of the can in the Patent Office.

Signed and scaled this 20th day of November. A D. 1928.

(Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

known manner, but the neck portion 2 thereof is thickened, during theprocess of forming the said body-part, sufficiently to enable an annulargroove 3 (see Figure 2) to be turned on its exterior in a planeapproximating that in which a shoulder constituting the seating for theclosing device, is to be formed in the interior of the said neck, thesaid groove weakening the said neck at this part. The neck 2 of the sofar formed container or capsule, is then held in a die, indicated at 4,in dot-and-dash lines Figure 2, the interior surface of which is shapedto the required outward shape, or configuration, and diameter of theneck 2 of the finished container, or capsule, 1. Pressure is thenapplied by any suitable means, such for example, as by the plunger 5indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Figure 2, at the outer end of theneck 52 which causes the said neck to collapse, or turn inwardly, in

the form of an annular pleat 6, as shewn in Figure 3, at the aforesaidweakened part 3, which inwardly turned pleated part constitutes theshoulder upon which the closing device is to be seated. The portion 7 ofthe interior of the neck 2 of the container, or capsule, extendingoutward of the shoulder (5 may be subsequently screw-threzuled, as shownin Figure 4, by any known or suitable means, to receive a removableclosing device such for example as shewn in specification No. 253,788.

By forming the shoulder 6 in the manner duced and consequently theliability of leakage is minimized.

What I claim is 1. In the manufacture of containers or capsules of thekind referred to from thin metal, the steps of making the body part andat the same time forming a neck part of thickened wall section,weakening the neck part by forming an annular groove on the exterior ofthe neck, and applying pressure at the outer end of the neck therebycausing it to collapse and turn inwardly at the weakened part thusforming an internal shoulder adapted to act as a seat for a closingpart.

2. In the nianutacture'of containers or capsules of the kind referred tofrom thin metal, the steps of making the body part and at the same timeforming a neck part of thickened wall section, weakening the neck partby forming an annular groove on the exterior of the neck, holding theweakened neck in a die, and applying pressure at the outer end of theneck thereby causing it to collapse and turn inwardly at the weakenedpart thus forming an internal shoulder adapted to act as a seat for aclosing part, substantially as described.

3. In the manufacture of a container or capsule of the class describedfrom a thin walled substantially cylindrical body, the steps of forminga neck by reducing the diameter of a portion of the body and increasingthe wall thickness of said portion by displacement of the metal incidentto the reduction of diameter, forming a groove in the exterior of saidneck portion to weaken the same, and compressing the neck portionaxially to cause the weakened portion thereof to collapse inwardlyforming an annular shoulder adapted to serve as a seat for a closingdevice.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,686, 405.

Granted October 2, 1928, to

ROBERT HUNTER CAMPBELL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Page 1, Line 84, for the word "exterior" read "interior"; and that thesaid Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that thesame may conform to the record of the can in the Patent Office.

Signed and scaled this 20th day of November. A D. 1928.

(Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

